Revelation 13:1-10 - The First Beast From The Sea

¹ Then I saw, 'rising out of the sea, a wild Beast with ten horns' and seven heads. On its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names. ² The Beast that I saw was like a leopard; but its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth like the mouth of a lion. The Dragon gave it his power and his throne, and wide dominion. ³ One of its heads seemed to me to have been mortally wounded, but its deadly wound had been healed. The whole earth followed the Beast, wondering; ⁴ and men worshiped the Dragon, because he had given his dominion to the Beast; while, as they worshiped the Beast, they said-- 'Who can compare with the Beast? and who can fight with it?'

⁵ The Beast was given 'a mouth that spoke proudly' and blasphemously, and it was empowered to work its will for forty-two months. ⁶ It opened its mouth only to blaspheme God, to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle-- those who dwell in his Tabernacle in Heaven. ⁷ It had been permitted to fight with Christ's People and to conquer them, and it had received power over men of every tribe, and people, and language, and nation. ⁸ All who are living on earth will worship it--all whose names have not been written in the Lamb's Book of Life, the Lamb that has been sacrificed from the foundation of the world.

⁹ Let him who has ears hear.

¹⁰ 'Whoever is destined for captivity goes into captivity.' Whoever shall kill with the sword must inevitably be killed with the sword. (Here there is need for endurance and faith on the part of Christ's People.)